San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-05-24
THEIR REPORT.
What the Grand Jury Have to Say on
Adjournment.


Adjournment.
The grand Jury returned few more indIct.
ments In the district court yesterday and after
presenting their final report, were discharged.
This report, as Il Is interesting, IL given:
The grand jurors empaneled for the March
term OF your honors court, on their hnal ad-
JOurnment ask leave to submit the follow ing
summary OF their labors, to-wit:
We were In session thirty ODD days, during
which time one hundred and thirty seven tEED
cases referred To us were Investigated. OF
these we have returned thirty.elght cSl In.
dictments Tor felony and twenty-eight css) for
msdemeanors.
In a majority of the cases investigated the
evidence was insufficient TO find true bill.
In addition To the above, we have returned
about eighty 800 indictments for otfenses arts
ing under the gaming laws,
Our Investigations show the commission of
but few crimes OF serious import.
Gambling seems To be exceedingly preya-
Lent, perhaps more general than ever before.
but we believe that the proper enforcement of
the statute, Furnishing these eifenses with i'm
prisonment which goes into operation July
9th, 1887, that IL VIII have the effect of sup
pressing this evil TO great extent, II not en-
tIrely. Taking this view OF the matter regard
ing its suppression as a question of short
time only. we have dealt more leniently with
this class OF offenders, than we would other
wise have done.
We have Investigated the IN after OF obstruc.
tons OF county roads, to which your honor d.
rected our especial attention. From the re-
ports of the county commissioners and ex-
plantations made by Hon. Q. l.. Wurzbach,
county judge, we are constrained TO believe
that the commits siouer's court are disposed 10
do all In their power to relieve the people in
all sections OF the county of any just cause of
complaint la this particular. The escaps OF
prisoners from the county convict camp has
been called to our attention and upon ex
animation we ind that the number of escapes
therefron has ben greatly exaggerated.
From the official register kept by the county
judge, we ind that from December 4th, 1854, 10
May ath 1887, about two years and six months
20 prisoners escaped. OF these Is had worked u
suthcient time to pay the cost of their prose-
cution. We would recommend, however, that
the commissioner court direct that In all
cases where convicts escape, that in the event
OF Ihelr recapture they be required to work
the remainder of their sentence with ball
and chain attachment. IL seems that no pen
atty for escape has been prescribed nor on.
forced heretofore and we can but express our
surprise that many others have not ayailed
themselves of their opportunities 10 escape.
We have inspected the county jail and found
therein confined ninety-one (9D prisoners. The
sheriff informs us that the prison is intended
to accommodate eighty-four go inmates W tn.
In the cells, besides two rooms In the main
building capable of holding six prisoners
each. In more rigorous climate the confin =
ment of four or i've persons in a cell 6xS feet
might In an emergency be excused; but In this
climate, at this season OF the year more par.
tcularly, IL Is simply barbarous, and we ask
your honor II something cannot be done to
alleviate the sufferings OF these unfortunate
people, some of whom may be innocent of the
least that the sheriff be prohibited from
combining more than four prisoners la
any one cell The prisoners com
b onT in The "run apouna' yor p exerc %ne
which we consider insufficient we therefore
advise that they be allowed at least one hour
before and one hour after dinner for such
purpose. The usual complaints regarding
the prison fare, that is that the food Is indlf-
ferent, insufficient and badly cooked, has
been made by some of the inmates. We have
M NM ri N ntn traash Of 0k.N.
assertions. but on general principles would
regard them arising from the dissatisfaction
natural to their peculiar situation.
II Is tmmaterial whether these complaints
of the character, quality and condition of the
food furnished be wen founded or not, we
can not endorse the principle, that the custO-
dian or officer charged with the keeping OF
prisoners deriving a revenue from the board
of such prisoners, should be the sole Judge OF
the amount and quality of such food. The
system is undoubtedly lisble to abuse, and
there can he no better time to institute the
necessary safeguards and impose proper re-
strictions for the protection of these unfOr.
Inmates than during the administration OF
our present humane and most efficient sheriff.
We. therefore, recommend that the county
commissioners court be requested to officially
prescribe the quantity and quality Of food To
be furnished the prisoners and provide for
the frequent inspection of such food, etc.
We would further recommend that immedi-
ate steps be taken for thorough and com
plete renovation OF the Jail building. The
Sghly cleaned, as we noticed an accumula la
IN of dirt, dust, etc. that would indicate
'3eir unsanitary condition. The hunks, We
are informed by the sheriff, are badly worn
and need attention. In all other respects,
eyerytbingappeared neat and clean.
Our labors have been somewhat protracted
and to u certain extent numerous, from the
fact that we have in many cases been unable
10 procure the advice and assistance of our
most efficient district attorney, his presence
being required in the court room In the trial
of criminal cases. Your honor can best Judge
whether there is any remedy applicable to tie
case. II would unquestiOnaby result in much
saving to the county IL some arrangement
could be made whereby the grand Jurors,
could, at all times when desired, have the ad-
vice and counsel OF the district attorney. Hav-
ing completed our labors we ask TO be dis
charged. Signed by the jury.
The grand Jurors being about TO adjourn,
desire to return thanks TO the foreman and
clerks OF the grand jury for the prompt and
efficient manner In which they discharged
their duties; also to our talented district at
torney, to our courteous sheriff and to all
those who we're officially connected with US
during ou- session. BY order of the grand
jury. LEONARDO CARA, Clerk.